Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,103 in Taoyuan versus $1,181 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,715 in Taoyuan versus $1,953 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,328 in Taoyuan versus $2,725 in Taichung.

Living in Taoyuan costs roughly 7% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taoyuan 17% lower, Taichung 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 NT$166

$5.06 NT$164

1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 NT$816

$31.00 NT$1,003

-18.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 NT$198

$5.35 NT$173

14.39%

Cappuccino

$2.78 NT$89.9

$2.89 NT$93.5

-3.81%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$39.97

$1.11 NT$35.77

11.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$25.09

$0.81 NT$26.14

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 NT$52.6

$2.14 NT$69.4

-23.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$77.6

$2.81 NT$91.0

-14.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.29 NT$106

$3.71 NT$120

-11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 NT$45.25

$1.77 NT$57.3

-20.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 NT$77.3

$2.76 NT$89.3

-13.41%

Eggs

$2.29 NT$74.2

$3.15 NT$102

-27.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 NT$299

$31.26 NT$1,011

-70.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.06 NT$261

$8.16 NT$264

-1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 NT$512

$15.93 NT$515

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 NT$107

$4.52 NT$146

-26.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.6

$1.82 NT$58.8

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 NT$88.3

$2.19 NT$70.8

24.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NT$96.8

$3.06 NT$99.0

-2.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 NT$76.1

$1.33 NT$43.18

76.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$1.89 NT$61.2

-0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NT$82.6

$2.35 NT$76.0

8.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 NT$29.43

$1.31 NT$42.27

-30.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 NT$206

$4.16 NT$135

53.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 NT$345

$15.62 NT$505

-31.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NT$58.7

$1.73 NT$56.0

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$76.5

$2.64 NT$85.3

-10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$21.45

$0.92 NT$29.81

-28.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.94 NT$1,292

$28.99 NT$938

37.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$2.85 NT$92.3

6.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$23.43

$1.23 NT$39.65

-41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 NT$266

$9.97 NT$323

-17.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.27

$1.05 NT$33.89

0.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.1K NT$1.2M

$33.6K NT$1.1M

7.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.9K NT$870.3K

$26.0K NT$840.7K

3.52%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$66.4 NT$2,146

$95.5 NT$3,088

-30.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.10 NT$941

$24.72 NT$800

17.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.97 NT$614

$21.38 NT$692

-11.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 NT$1,198

$35.64 NT$1,153

3.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 NT$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 NT$328

$10.50 NT$340

-3.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$582 NT$18.8K

$362 NT$11.7K

60.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K NT$499.7K

$21.2K NT$684.3K

-26.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 NT$2,630

$84.9 NT$2,746

-4.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.97 NT$776

$34.21 NT$1,107

-29.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 NT$2,725

$93.9 NT$3,036

-10.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,331

$128 NT$4,145

-19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 NT$13.5K

$376 NT$12.2K

10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 NT$11.4K

$287 NT$9,291

22.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 NT$26.9K

$1,054 NT$34.1K

-21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 NT$19.4K

$715 NT$23.1K

-16.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,335 NT$237.3K

$6,933 NT$224.3K

5.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,640 NT$150.1K

$5,135 NT$166.1K

-9.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,505 NT$48.7K

$1,400 NT$45.3K

7.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.18

-27.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Taoyuan: July 25, 2026

Last update for Taichung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $418 in Taoyuan and $376 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Taoyuan vs $31.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $396 per month, with Taoyuan cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Taoyuan vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taoyuan wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taoyuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Taoyuan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $418 in Taoyuan versus $376 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taoyuan – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $31.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,103 per month in Taoyuan versus $1,181 in Taichung – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,103 in Taoyuan versus $1,181 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taoyuan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Taoyuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Taoyuan and Taichung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Taoyuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.